The Cornell Daily Sun (https://cornellsun.com/author/troybridson/page/3/)
“Mitch came out in the second period and had one of the best periods of hockey that I’ve seen from a kid in a while,” said head coach Mike Schafer ’86. “He was a workhorse and I think all of the guys fed off of him and got their feet going.”
Cornell women’s hockey (5-2, 3-2 ECAC) will face a tough test this weekend when the team takes on No. 8 Quinnipiac (9-4-1, 4-2, ECAC) and Princeton (4-3-1, 2-3 ECAC) in what could be a defining series for the Red. Both games will be played on the road, with Cornell taking on Quinnipiac on Friday and Princeton on Saturday. After back-to-back wins, the team is feeling upbeat and confident heading into the action. “I think our team has a lot of confidence right now,” said freshman forward Kristin O’Neill.
Freshman forward Kristin O’Neill has been a breakout star for Cornell women’s hockey so far this season, providing a much-needed offensive spark for the Red. “Kristin O’Neill is a very dynamic player,” said head coach Doug Derraugh ’91. “She will be an impact player for us in the years to come.”
O’Neill currently leads Cornell (3-2, 1-2 ECAC) in scoring and points, with four goals and an assist on the year. O’Neill credited the upperclassmen for welcoming her to the team and the added practice time in college hockey as some of the reasons for her success. “The upperclassmen have really made the freshman feel welcome,” O’Neill said.
The Red took a step in the right direction on Saturday when the team took on Union. Following a sluggish offensive performance in a loss to RPI on Friday, goals in each period were enough for a 3-1 victory in what was a strong showing from the Red offense.
The 2016 regular season for Cornell men’s hockey will begin with a road-heavy opening set of games this year, starting with a trip to North Andover, Mass. to take on Merrimack College in what has been a widely anticipated match up for players and fans alike.
Cornell (2-0-0, 0-0 ECAC) saw solid production from its freshman class in its first two games against Mercyhurst (1-4-1, 0-0 CHA). Freshman forward Kristin O’Neill notched two goals for the Red and freshman defender Jaime Bourbonnais scored a goal and added an assist.
Cornell is back to above .500 with wins over Brown, 6-1, and Rider, 3-1.
The JAM line, consisting of Jeff Kubiak, Anthony Angello and Mitch Vanderlaan, will be in the spotlight this season. The three members were the Red’s top points scorers in 2015-16.
For junior goalkeeper Kelly Johnson, a fourth generation Cornellian playing for Cornell field hockey is about more than just representing her family and her institution. “A great majority of the people in my family that have come to Cornell have been men, so representing the power of females in sports and academics means a lot to me,” she said. For the past three years, Johnson — a biology and society major — has come to define female achievement for the Big Red and has become one of the most talented and consistent players in Cornell history. This season, Johnson broke the program record for most wins as a goalkeeper and notched the seventh shutout of her career. “Kelly has always been a really solid goalkeeper,” said Head Coach Donna Hornibrook.
Already, Head Coach Doug Derraugh said he is happy with what he has seen from the newcomers.